Crown-soldering pliers.



m. 695,625. Patented Iar. I8, 1902. r. E. none".

BROWN SOLDEBING PLIEBS,

(Application .fi1ed m 20, 1901. v 2 Sheds-Shoat I.

(No Model.)

UNIT D STATES ATE-NT OFFICE.

FINIS E. ROACH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CROWN-SOLDERING PLIERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,625, dated March18, 1902.

Application filed May 20,

operation which has heretofore required a considerable expenditure ofboth time and labor.

More specifically, the object of the present invention is to facilitatethe soldering to;- gether of the coping and the crown portion of anartificial tooth, and this is done in my present invention by means of adevice which holds the said parts during this soldering operation inexactly the relative positions in which they have previously beentemporarily secured, as by waxing the said parts together.

The ordinary artificial or crown tooth comprises two principal parts-thepost with the After coping and the body or crown portion. havingascertained the true relative positions of these parts with respect toeach other and to the contiguous teeth by means of a model made from animpression in the well-understood waythe said parts .are temporarilysecured in such relation by waxing the same together, after which thesaid parts are invested in asbestos and plaster-of-paris or othersuitable investing material, the waxed surface being left exposed,andare then subjected to a high heat, which operation" melts away the waxand thoroughly dries out the parts, leaving them firmly held by theinvesting material in the same relative positions in which they wereformerly held by the wax; The parts are then secured and'permanentlysoldered together. This process of investing the temporarily-unitedparts of the tooth prepare atory to'permanently securing them togetherinvolves a considerable expenditure of both timeand labor, and to theextent of the time required-to carry it out delays the completion oftheprocess of manufacture.

In my present invention I have produced '4 and 5.

1901. Serial No. 61,068. (No model.)

a delicately adjustable mechanism designed totake the place of theinvestment hereinabove referred to and to facilitate the .sol- 'deriiigtogether of the parts of an artificial toothin anequally efficient Wayand in a much shorter period of time than by the old-process.

To this end my invention consists in a devicein the nature of pliers,the two holdingarms of which are in use capable of a universal andautomatic adjustment relatively to each other and to the elements of thetooth carried thereby, all as hereinafter described, and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a side elevational View of my tion of the same viewed in aplane at right" angles to that of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan View of theparts as they appear in Figs; 1 and 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are edge and sideviews, respectively, of a special form of holding-arm designed tocooperate with a special construction of backing for the crown. Figs. 6and 7 are front and edge views, respectively, of the special form ofcrown-backing designed to 006 peratewith the holding-arm shown in Figs.Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of-the other arm of the pliers,which'is designed to cooperate with the post or shank of the tooth; andFigs. 9 and 10 are details showing in elevation and plan, respectively,a means whereby myinvention is adapted for use in connection withanother special form ofcrown.

Referring to the drawings, 11 designates a suitable base or support, inwhich is fixed a postor standard 12, in theupper end of which latter arepivoted and adjustably clamped, as by means of a thumb-clamp 13, a pairof arms 14: and 15. In the normal operation of the device the arms 14and 15 will be secured in positions substantially at right angles toeach other, the arm 15 being approximately horizontal and the arm 14approximately Vertical; but the relative location of these arms is by nomeans fixed, but the same are capable of adjustment to any anglerelatively to each other and to the standard 12 that may best suit therequirements of each particular case.

Upon the ends of the arms 14 and 15 are secured or formed integralU-shaped socketpieces 16 and 17, respectively, such socketpieces beingmade of some elastic metal, as steel,and having formed through the freeends of their parallel side members apertures 18 and 19, respectively. Apair of thumb-clamps 20 and 21 extend transversely through the sidemembers of said socket-pieces 16 and 17, respectively, at points betweenthe closed and open ends of said socket-pieces and serve to draw theside members thereof toward each other when desired, as hereinafter moreparticularly described.

22 and 23 designate a pair of spring-controlled holding-arms forsupporting the post and the crown portion of a tooth, respectively, atany desired angle and in any desired relation to each other. Referringfirst to the construction of the arm 22, a sectional detail of which isshown in Fig. 8, 24 indicates the main shank or stem of this arm, thestem terminating at one end in a ball or sphere 25, of polished steel orother hardened metal, and at its opposite end being flattened, as at 26,and having formed therethrough an elongated slot 27. A pair of fiatlongitudinally-movable clamping-arms 28 are at their inner ends securedto or formed integral with a block 29, longitudinally apertured andhaving a sliding engagement with the shank 24 of the arm. The said arms28 are disposed approximately parallel and have their outer endssquared, as shown, and bent inwardly to engage the opposite sides of theflattened portion 26 of the shank 24. A spiral spring 30, surroundingthe shank 24 between the ball and the opposed end of the bearingblock29,normally tends to force the connected clamping-arms 28 outwardlyrelatively to the shank 24. 4

From the foregoing construction of the holding-arm 22 it will be obviousthat by retracting the clamping-arms 28 against the tension of spring 30and then introducinga member,st1ch as the post 31 of an artificialtooth, through the receiving-slot 27 and subsequently permitting spring30 to force the arms 28 again forward on shank 24 such post will besecurely'clamped and held in a position substantially at right angles tothe holding-arm, as shown in Fig. 3. The holding-arm 22. thusconstituted is secured in the socket-piece 16,

cured fixedly in such position by a simple turn of the thumb-screw 20.

The other holding-arm 23 of the device possesses a function similar tothat already attributed to the arm 22, except that it is de signed tosupport the body or crown portion of the tooth or an element thereofrather than its post, and possessesasomewhat-modified structure to adaptit to this particular purpose. I have shown said arm as constructed inthree different forms in order to adapt the same to the holding of asmany different varieties of crowns. In the form shown in Figs. 1, 2, and3 this arm comprises a principal shank or stem 32, provided at its lowerend with a ball or sphere 33, whereby it has a universal bearing betweenthe parallel side members of the socket-piece 17 in the manner alreadydescribed in connection with arm 22 and at its outer free end carrying asuitable cup or concave plate 34, which latter is designed and adaptedto receive and have seated therein the facing of the crown portion ofthe tooth. In order to securely hold the part 35 of the tooth to itsseat in the cup 34 during the soldering operation, I provide alongitudinally adjustable flat metal loop 36, the lower end of whichslidingly engages stem 32 and has secured thereto one end of a tensilespring 37, the other end of which is anchored in the base of the stem32, adjacent its ball joint 33. By the mechanism described the loop orframe 36 may be readily forced outwardly upon the stem 32 a sufficientdistance to enable the facing 35 of the tooth to be inserted between theouter end of the loop 36 and the cup 34, whereupon the spring 37willthen act to draw the loop 36 inwardly upon the stem 32, thereby securelyclamping the facing of the'tooth toits seatin the cup, all as plainlyshown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

The operation of the mechanism as thus far described is as follows: Thetrue relation of the facing 35 and the post 31 having been determinedand the said parts having been temporarily united in such relation bywax ora similar temporary binding agent, the tooth is first seated andsecured in the cup 34 in the manner already described. During thisoperation the arms 14 and 15 are loose on their pivot-pin in post 12 andthe ball-joint 33 is loose in its socket, permitting the arm 23 toassume any desired position. The other arm 22 being also looselyjointed, clamping-arms 28 are retracted and the slotted end of said armis passed over the free end of post 31, as shown in Fig. 2, the squareends of the arms 28 being then carried and pressed into engagement withthe proximate side of the post 31, thereby securely holding said post ina fixed relation to the arm 22, all as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It willbe observed that in this operation no strain whatever is brought uponthe temporarily-united parts of the tooth by reason of the fact thatduring this operation of securing the parts 35 and 31 in the receivingand holding devices at the extremities of arms 23 and 22, respectively,the said arms are perfectly free to adjust themselves automatically witha fine degree of exactness and delicacy to just such positions as theyshould occupy in order to hold the two parts of the tooth in exactly therelation to each other in which they have been previously temporarilysecured without the slightest tendency to strain or disrupt thetemporary union of such parts. The two members of the tooth having beenthus placed and secured in the arms of the pliers, the latter arefixedly secured in the proper relative positions to each other, asalready determined in the manner just described, by simply turning upthe thumbscrews 13, 20, and 21. The two parts of the tooth are now assafely and securely held in true relation to each other as they would beif they had been invested in the usual way. The oxyhydrogen flame fromthe blowpipe being then applied to the tooth, the temporary securingagent is quickly melted and dried out, and the permanent solder may thenbe applied, thus permanently securing together the crown and coping ofthe tooth. I

Inthe case of the all-porcelain crown, such as is intended to be shownin Figs. 1, 2, and 3, thelatter is ordinarily united to the base of thepost or coping through the agency of one or more pins baked into thefacing, the

upper ends of said pins projecting slightly above the rear surface ofthe facing, as indicated at 35 in Figs. 2 and 3, and these projectingends of said pins are secured by a drop of solder to the contiguous end31 of the post or coping 31. This joint is subsequently buried in aporcelain body subsequently filled in upon the back of the facing andcompletely covering and concealing the soldered union of the parts, andthrough the combined effect of the soldered junctionand the porcelainfilling enveloping the same the complete crown and post are securely-andpermanently united. 7.

An application of my invention to the building up of a different form oftooth is illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10. In this form 31 indicates thepost and coping, and 35 indicates the porcelain facing, which latter maybe permanently soldered tothe coping and post in the manner alreadydescribed; but in thiscase it is desired to form a solid metal backingcoextensive, or practically so, with the rear surface of the facing. Inthis case the rear or inner surface of the facing has applied thereto athin plate of platinum, gold, or other suitable material 39, whichlatter is united to the facing by one or more small pins 40, an-

- chored in the facing and extending through holes in the platinum plateand being bent thereover, thus binding the facing and the platetogether. In view of the fact that the metal filling or backing-is to becoextensive with the rear surface of the crown it is of courseimpossible to use the closed loop 36 as a means for holding thetooth inthe cup 34. In this case, therefore, I dispense entirely with the loop36 and employ in place thereof one or more turns of a fine gold orplatinum wire 41, passing around the facing and the cup and having theirends united, as by twisting or otherwise. The necessary heat being thensupplied, the solid metal filling or backingmay readily be built up,covering the plate 39 and the holding-wires 41, after which the-lattermay be cut or unwound and the built-up tooth removed to be trimmed andpolished, leaving the buried portions of the wire-41 to form anintegralpart of the metal backing.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have illustrated a special form of holding-arm(designatedas a whole by 23) and designed to take the place of theholding-arm 23 and specially adapted for cooperation with a specialform'of backing, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, which backing is constructedin the manner set forth in Letters Patent No. 651,388, heretoforegranted to me on the 12th day of June, 1900. Referring first to thespecial form of backing shown, it will be observed that this backingconsistsof the metal plate 42, slightly concave on its inner surface, asat 43, and having a lateral extension 44 at its inner end constituting abase,which is designed to be soldered to the coping and post. Totheinner concave face of-the backing 42 and approximately cen trallythereof is secured a fastening device in'the nature of a thin slottedplate 46, so disposed relatively to the concave portion of the backing42 as to provide for the insertion between said parts and through theslot of-plate 46 of a headed metal lug anchored. in the matching faceofthe facing or front portion of the tooth, all as fully set forth in myformer patent above referred to. In order to hold this form of backingin proper relation to the post and coping during the soldering operationinstead of sup'portingthesame in the ctip 34, as hereinbefore described,I dis pense with the latterand form the holdingarm 23 in all respectssimilar to the arm 22 except that instead of slotting the flattened endof the stem 24 I provider-he latter with a head 27,- disposedtransversely of the stem, which head is adapted to engage thebacking42of the tooth in rear of the-slot of the plate '46 and to be securelyheld in fixed relation thereto by the outer endsof the spring-pressedclamping-arms 28 engaging the face of plate 46. By the mechanism-lastdescribed ,the backing and the post of this particular form of toothmay, after having been temporarily united by wax'or otherwise, be heldby the pliers in true. relation to each other in a manner similar tothat already described,while the temporary binding agent is melted 0Eand the permanent binding-soldering applied, after which thepermanently-unitedparts may be removed from the pliers and the porcelainor other facing applied through the registration of its headed lug withthe slotted plate 46 in the manner set forth in my former patent abovereferred to.

A noteworthy feature of the mechanism herein disclosed resides in thefact that the springs 30 and 37 are located at a safe distance from thepoint of application of the heat, so that their temper and elasticproperties are not injured thereby. The feature of prime importance,however, and which I regard as comprising the gist of my presentinvention resides in the provision of the two holding-arms so mountedthat they are perfectly free to automatically assume any desiredrelative position with respect to each other that may be demanded by theparticular relative position of thetemporarily-united portions of thetooth and may be applied to the latter to hold the same in such relativeposition during the operation of permanently uniting the parts withoutany strain tending to disrupt the temporary union of said parts.

While it is true that in securing the temporarily-united tooth in thearms of the pliers the latter are set at substantially the properrelative angle and in substantially the proper relative positions by theoperator, nevertheless the action of the springs which move the clampsincooperation with the actual engagement of the outer ends of the clampswith the elements of the tooth results in an automatic setting oradjustment of the two arms by virture of the universal joints in justsuch relative positions and at just such an angle that the elements ofthe tooth are held by the arms without the slightest strain tending to.

disrupt them, and when the arms have thus automatically set or adjustedthemselves in porarily secured. This action is what is re-.

ferred to by the term automatic as applied to the adjustment of thearms.

A further noteworthy advantage resulting from the herein described andillustrated construction of said holding-arms resides in the fact thatthe holding or clamping strain on the longitudinally-slidable clamps iswholly in a direction longitudinally and not transversely thereof. Thisis important because of the fact that in the soldering operation thesaid longitudinally-slidable clamps, and particularly the outer endsthereof, are subjected to a great heat, which by temporarily removingtheir temper and rigid quality disqualifies them from resisting atransverse tension or strain, but does not impair their efficiency totransmit the longitudinal clamping thrust imparted by the springs 30 and37. Moreover, each arm of my improved pliers contacts with the objectheld at three points instead of at only two, as in this class of pliersnow in common use, thereby holding the article operated on more securelythan heretofore. My invention therefore provides an effective substitutefor the operation of investment already referred to, which latter is along and tedious operation, and hence expensive, by reason of its demandupon the operators time and attention. My invention very materiallyshortens the time required for the complete building up of an artificialtooth and performs this operation in a manner fully as eifective as theold method of investment.

My invention may obviously be modified to a considerable extent as tostructural details without departing from the spirit and principlethereof, and it is obviously capable of use in other relations than thatspecifically hereinabove described-es, for instance, by jewelers'andother artisans the character of whose trade or employment requires theuse of holding-pliers of this general type. I do not wish, therefore, tolimit myself to the precise details of structure herein shown anddescribed except in so far as the same may be made the subject ofspecific claims.

I claim as my invention- 1. A pair of soldering-pliers, comprising incombination a supporting-standard, a pairof arms pivotally clamped insaid standard, a pair of holding-arms swiveled on universal joints insaid first-named arms, and springactuated longitudinally-movableclamping devices carried on said holding-arms, whereby two elements thatare to be permanently united as by solder may be securely held in properrelative positions during the soldering operation, substantially asdescribed.

2. A pair of soldering-pliers, comprising a supporting-standard, a pairof arms pivotally clamped in said standard, a pair of holdingarmsswiveled on universal joints in said first-named arms and adapted to befixedly clamped therein, suitable receiving devices on the outer ends ofsaid holding-arms, and longitudinally-slidable clamps carried by saidholding-arms respectively and cooperating with said receiving devices tohold in proper relative positions two elements that are to bepermanently united by soldering or otherwise, substantially asdescribed.

3. A pair of soldering-pliers for permanently uniting two elements of anartificial tooth, comprising in combination a standard, a pair of armspivotally clamped in said standards, a pair of holding-arms mounted onuniversal joints at the outer extremities of said first-named arms,appropriate devices on the extremities of said holding-arms forreceiving the elements to be united, longitudinallyslidable clampingdevices on said holdingarms respectively, and springs located at theinner extremities of said holding-arms adjacent the swiveled jointsthereof and actuating the clamps to effect a codperation between thelatter and the receiving devices in firmly holding the parts of thetooth to be joined, substantially as described.

4. In an instrument of the character described, the combination with apair of suitably supported and universally swiveled holding-arms, one ofsaid arms at its free end being adapted to receive the post of anartificial tooth, and the other to receive an eleholding-arms, one ofsaid arms being slotted at its outer end to receive the post of anartificial tooth, and the other arm being headed at its outer extremityto engage a cooperating 2o fastening device formed on the crown portionof the tooth, of a pair of longitudinally-slidable clamping devicesmounted on said arms respectively, and a pair of. springs mounted onsaid arms between their swivel-joints and.

the inner ends of the clamping devices respectively and operating tothrust the latter outwardly and cause their outer ends to engage andfirmly hold said post and crown por- 1 tions of the tooth, substantiallyas described.

6. In an instrument of the character described, the combination with astandard and a pair of arms adjustably pivoted therein so as to occupyany desired angular relation to said standard and each other, ofsocket-pieces formed on the outer ends of said arms respectively, a pairof holding-arms, universally swiveled in said socket-piecesrespectively, and clamping devices applied to said socketpieces wherebysaid holding-arms may rigidly be held in predetermined positions in saidsocket-pieces, substantially as described] 7. In an instrument of thecharacter described, the combination with a standard and a pair of armsadjustably pivoted therein so as to occupy any desired angular relationto said standard and each gther, of socket-pieces formed on the outerends of said arms respectively, a pair of holding-arms universallyswiveled in said socket-pieces respectively,

clamping devices applied to said socket-pieces for securing saidholding-arms fixedlytherein, and a pair of longitudinally-movableconnected spring-pressed clamping-arms disposed in approximatelyparallelrelation on opposite sides of each holding-arm and adapted to performtheir functions solelythrougn an endwise thrust thereon, substantiallyas described.

Witnesses;

SAMUEL N. POND, FREDERICK C. GOODWIN.

FINIS EQ'RQAOH.

